Bio

Debbie Nargi-Brown is a gifted facilitator of both song and dance. She has taught African Inspired Dance for nearly 30 years in Santa Cruz. She was the recipient of the 2004 Calabash Awared for outstanding achievement in the Ethnic Arts. She produces and facilitates drum and dance events in California, Hawaii, Canada, and Europe. She has taught dance at the University of California – Santa Cruz for three years, as well as teaching dance and singing workshops at Harbin Hot Springs, Esalen, Camp Krem in the Santa Cruz Mountains to name a few. She leads singing circles locally and at special events and workshops.

Debbie relies upon drumming, dancing, singing, and the creation of a safe place to ignite joy, passion, and a sense of community in her workshops and classes. here is always an abiding respect for the cultures from which many of the dances and songs originate. She embraces and embodies the healing and sacredness of the songs, dances, and the people who have been her teachers.

Debbie has performed on several CDs as well as producing two of her own. These include, Tenderly Rain with the Threshold Choir, Soul Affirmationz with Afia Walking Tree, Esctatic Groove with Jennifer Salima Holt, and the Blessing Way CD with Copperwoman. Her first CD, “Into the Rhythm” is a compilation of 40 songs from cultures all over the world as well as 12 original songs. Her latest CD called “Love is Everything” has 10 original songs and is a mixtures of songs that will uplift your Spirit and bring comfort to your Soul.

Debbie’s nurturing approach to dance allows her students to feel comfortable at their own level of song and dance, to be smoothly in their bodies, and to feel the satisfaction of singing and dancing with others. She encourages expression from within while drawing upon a connection to That which is much greater than ourselves. This has resulted in an network of dancers, drummers, and singers in a a community that continues to grow and flourish beyond the bounds of Santa Cruz and with people of wide and diverse life experiences.

Here are some of the workshops Debbie has facilitated:

Northern California Dance Collective –
Summer and Winter Camps over the last 20 years